Disclaimer: I actually own these characters and it's how I'm paying for college. And then I woke up.
Story Warnings: Some shounen-ai and character death.
Author Warnings: Don't say I didn't warn you!
Control
There was nothing on.
The couch creaked gently as Anna shifted in her seat slightly. She had been lounging around like this all day, TV remote close at hand. This was the easy life she had always wanted for herself . . . or so she thought.
This was all Tao Ren's fault!
The frustrated teenager readjusted herself again, this time in a much more restless manner. Anna would have thought it bliss to be able to lie around without a care in the world, until today that is. She had responsibilities to look after. But today they were being taken over by another, today and every other day for the past two weeks in fact.
It was her duty to train Yoh and keep him on his toes to prevent him from getting soft on her. It was a task she quite enjoyed, almost in a sadistic way. It was the job that underhanded Tao had conned her out of. She didn't care if Yoh was actually training enthusiastically everyday now. The point was He is, and always will be, property of Anna!
Anna angrily flipped through the channels without really paying any attention to what she saw. It didn't matter. She already knew nothing of interest was on. The distant sound of clashing steel reminded her of the absence of her soon to be husband. Over the course of the last fifteen days she had only seen her fiancée no more than fifteen minutes at a time. She couldn't understand what could be so good about sparring with each other day in and day out. At first she had welcomed the vacation but now the lack of any real company was driving her up the walls. The question that plagued her came to mind once again. When would Ren ever go back to his own home?
The quiet murmurs that approached the house gradually grew until the front door could be heard opening. Feet dragged their way down the hallway and ended when Yoh sighed and collapsed on the hard wood floor before her. He was still trying to catch his breath from the exhausting workout he had just endured. He just lay there in his crumpled state by Anna's feet, chest heaving. As disgusted as she forced herself to look, the sight of the panting lump did her heart good. It reminded her of a dog she once loved.
Speak of the devil, there he was.
Keeping his distance, Tao Ren stood across the room with his back leaning against the doorframe. Sweat still glistened on his bare chest and he was clearly relieved when he pressed the cool glass of the milk bottle he was holding against his forehead. It was a much more pleasing sight than the half-dead Yoh in front of her. She found his masculinity strangely alluring but quickly drove such thoughts from her head.
Half his body was still in the hallway. It made him look as if he wanted nothing more than to flee. The look on his face was quite the contrary. With eyes that of a predator he studied his prone companion on the floor, looking like he could pounce at any moment. That was until her obvious staring was noticed. The intense burning glare soon fixed upon her. It was almost intimidating the way he looked at her, like she had come between a hunter and its prey. But Anna Kyouyama was not someone who backed down without a fight.
"Sit," she finally ordered.
"I prefer to stand," Ren responded flatly.
"I don't care, you look stupid standing there all by yourself," she bit back, the irritation evident in her voice.
"I prefer to stand," he plainly repeated, "the view is much better over here."
Anna couldn't help but wonder what that was supposed to mean.
Their stand off was thankfully interrupted by a low rumbling noise from below. Yoh held his stomach and groaned, "I guess I better start cooking dinner." He started to rise to his feet and stretched in an almost cat like motion.
Anna quickly stopped him. "No, it's okay. I can cook it today."
The things she would do to get away from Ren right now.
"Lunch was so horrid I don't think I could subject myself to that again in one day."
The things she said to save her own ass. Lunch was actually quite delicious.
"Oh . . . thanks, I think." Despite just being insulted, Yoh looked genuinely relieved. "In that case, I think I'll take a bath and wash up before dinner."
From there they went their separate ways. Oddly enough, Ren left his place at the doorway and followed Yoh as soon as he walked by. She thought he was more self-conscious than that, to bathe together with Yoh. But it didn't matter, it's not like it was her concern.
Her fiancé's teasing voice traveled down the corridor, "No! Not until it's done." His tone seemed playful yet his words final. Anna was too far in the other direction by now to hear any follow up, so she shrugged it off as she reached the kitchen.
There was a distinct reason she always had Yoh cook her meals, and now she was painfully reminded of why. She couldn't cook to save her life. After burning the rice until it resembled charcoal, she scrapped the whole idea of a traditional Japanese meal and settled for simple vegetable soup.
Her reflection glinted up at her from the oversized knife she had chosen to carve up the carrots. They were small enough already that they only needed to be cut up into small sections, but that was far from what she was doing. She was well aware of this but didn't let it bother her. It didn't matter if it looked appealing or not as long as it was edible. A silent prayer went out in hopes that it would turn out even that.
"Need a hand?" asked a dreadfully familiar voice from directly over her shoulder.
Anna possessed uncanny nerves of steel. It took a hell of a lot to startle her . . . and that did the trick.
"What are doing here!" she nearly shrieked. She thanked whatever deity had caused her not to. Ren was the last person she wanted to show any kind of weakness in front of. Though one glance at her trembling hand, the one still wielding the knife, made her glad she had not overreacted any further. It would have been a shame to put out one of those pretty eyes of his. She almost grinned at the gruesome thought, even if she meant it.
"Well?" Ren's patients were visibly wearing thin for reasons she was not sure of. If only her heart would slow down and stop threatening to burst in her chest.
"Well what?" she decided she could be impatient too.
"I asked you if you wanted any help, if you continue to waste my time I'll just leave. It's your loss." The coolness of Ren's voice bothered her. It sounded like he was trying hard just to sound like he didn't care if he helped or not. If he wants to help he should just help, and if not, screw off. Even if she did hopelessly need his help, she would play this game of his.
"Do as you wish, just don't get in my way." If Ren's tone was cool, hers was ice.
Without even bothering to see if he stayed, Anna went back to butchering the vegetables for supper. Anna 1, Ren 0 she thought with a self-satisfied smirk. When she heard the metallic rummaging of pots and pans beside her the grin only widened. Even Ren could prove useful when dealt with correctly. This is why she would be First Lady to the Shaman King. She could dominate any man. Her chest swelled with pride at this fact.
Control, it's what she craved.
A sudden exasperated sigh to her right caught her off guard amidst her self-gloating.
"You're doing it all wrong." Ren pointed a finger in the direction of the vegetable massacre.
"And you think you can do better?" Anna verbally pulled a few strings to make Ren dance. She wondered if it would really be this easy. Then again, she reminded herself, she had a talent for manipulating people.
"Of course!" Ren replied as cocky as ever, as if it should have been obvious. "The Chinese will always be superior chefs."
Before Anna could enjoy her victory for much longer, Ren grasped the knife although it was with her hand still on it. He continued to perform smooth, precise cuts without hurting her in the process. His firm grip was not too so. It almost felt gentle.
"Wh-What are you doing?" she barely managed. Ren was now behind her, one hand on her hip while the other continued to masterfully guide her hand.
She was no longer in control.
Ren only smirked at her. "What does it look like I'm doing?"
"Can you please stop?" Anna protested weakly.
"Now why would I do that?" It was obvious that Ren was enjoying this, she could tell by the wicked curve in his lips that were now brushing against the back of her neck. His warm breath sent a shiver down here spine.
Although she was trapped between Ren and the counter top, she forced herself around to face him. "Ren . . . stop. You know I'm engaged. We can't be doing this!" she spoke what she knew to be the right thing but not necessarily what her heart desired.
He chuckled briefly. "Since when do you care about morals? You're the one exploiting that sorry excuse for a shaman, Asakura Yoh. Trapping him in a loveless marriage for your own benefit."
"That's not true!" she bit out raggedly. Her head was now lowered shamefully, eyes cast down away from his accusing eyes. It wasn't true . . . at least not always.
A hand on her chin forcefully jerked her head up to meet his gaze again. His face was much closer now than it had been before. "In my defense, you did say I could do as I wish. Isn't that the same as consent?" he asked her mockingly.
"I also said not to get in my way!" Anna shot back, giving him her patented left-hand slap.
She was sure this had caused Ren to snap out of it as he now stood there frozen. That idea was quickly shot down as he turned his head back towards her, unfathomable hatred in his eyes. He released her chin and knotted his fingers in her hair instead. She was sure he was about to strike her.
He mumbled something under his breath that Anna was sure sounded like, "This better be worth it . . ."
Before she could contemplate this more Ren jerked her head forward and crushed their lips together. That had been the last thing she was expecting, even more so the fact that she was readily kissing back with the same primal hunger. It felt good to submit to him and relinquish control for once.
She never once tried to struggle. The knife slowly slipped free until it clattered against the cutting board, but it fell on deaf ears. Now free of the burden, she clasped their hands together, fingers woven and entwined.
"The only reason I've spent so much time here was to be close to you," Ren whispered between breathes when they finally broke for air.
Before she could get a chance to react, they were locked in another passionate kiss, more so than the last. Her head was absolutely swimming with pleasure. She suspected it was clouding her good judgment . . . but she just didn't care. When she was beginning to feel reality slip away from her, it was then that she was cruelly brought back down to earth.
"Anna!" cried her fiancé from his place at kitchen entrance. The small droplets of water running off his damp hair resembled the tears flowing from his misty eyes.
She was left completely speechless. There was no way around this, no denying it. She had been caught in the act, not to mention her clothes had been rearranged and her hair was askew. The same question kept racing in her mind. What had she done?
Yoh began to slowly approach them, dragging his feet behind him as he went. There was an unidentifiable glimmer of something in his eyes as he briefly looked over at the Chinese shaman. Anna dismissed this as he turned back to her. "Why? How? How could you do this? I love you!" The unbelievable pain he must have been feeling completely coated his words.
This was tearing Anna up inside. Moments from her childhood were coming back to her now. How she would always tell he friends that when she grew up she would marry Asakura Yoh. "He's so cute!" she used to gush. She remembered the terrible training she had to undergo and how hard she worked at it, just to be the Itako chosen to be his bride. When had she strayed away from this? When had her dreams become tainted? Maybe she could change it all if their relationship manages to survive this.
"I'm so sorry . . ." she voiced her deepest remorse but it was barely audible. She was getting very choked up and now it was visible.
Her arms spread open for him and offered a shoulder to cry on. God knows she could one right now. "I love you," she said, coaxing him to come.
As Yoh moved towards her embrace, without warning he stopped frigidly and proceeded to fall limply into her arms. When she managed to get a look at his back, she could see an ever-growing stain of sickeningly dark red running down his white bathrobe. A horror like none other had flooded through her.
"I hate being ignore." Ren stated calmly as he brandished the knife they were cutting vegetables with earlier. He was twisting the point against the tip of his index finger while he watched blood drip from the cold steel onto his knuckles.
Complete devastation only met a professional like passiveness when the two accomplices met each other's eyes for the first time in what had felt like ages.
"I did it all for you," Ren admitted, answering her silent pleadings. His face softened for a moment. "Don't worry about a thing, I'm here to look after you." He removed one blood-flecked hand from the murder weapon and placed it on her shoulder in an attempt to comfort. "I can provide you with anything you want and more. It'll all be okay."
Anna hadn't held onto Yoh very long before she shrank back into a corner and sobbed uncontrollably with her hands clutched over her face.
Ren almost pitied her.
"Look, we're in this together either way. Just think on it while I bury this out back." He wistfully ran his fingers through her hair before turning his attention back to Yoh. When he picked up the body, it seemed like he was cradling it in his arms with the amount of care he was putting into handling it. Anna grudgingly wondered why he didn't just drag her love away by his beautiful hair.
Though sadly she couldn't really blame this all on Ren. The fault goes to none other than herself. Now that she was left all alone with only her thoughts, this hit her harder than ever.
What had she done?
If only she hadn't been stupid enough to let herself be seduced then her fiancé would still be alive. Her fiancé who cooked for her, looked after her every need, and loved her unconditionally would still be in this world. Suddenly her life now felt worthless in comparison to the one that was lost.
As she pondered over it all, Anna realized what could have prevented this whole tragedy. Control. She cursed herself for not being able to control herself like she had claimed she could others. She almost laughed at the irony of it all.
The kitchen light reflected off something on the floor near her leg. It was glaring up in her face harshly, accusingly. It was the knife that had shattered her hopes and dreams, still fresh from the deed. She smiled a grim little smile as she thought one thing. At least she would have control over her own death.
Anna scooped up the former kitchen utensil in both hands and stared down at it for a moment. The tears she shed fell upon its stainless steel surface. She had decided. This is how she would repent.
It gave her a small amount of comfort that she would be able to see Yoh again in the afterlife. Maybe then she could earn his forgiveness. While no one would ever believe it, Anna truly did love her arranged spouse. She only wished that she had shown it more often instead of being the necessary evil in his life.
It wasn't fair!
The burden of it all was too much to bear for any longer. Trembling hands brought the blade up and pointed it towards her. The sharp tip dug into her as both hands held it firmly centered on her chest.
Just as she was savoring one last deep breath of air, Ren had returned. He was once again topless and covered with smears of dirt and blood. Most likely from her loved one's grave. She bitterly wondered if there was room for two
That was when she, in one swift motion, plunged the knife in up to the handle. The pain she experienced was excruciating, but it was only a fleeting sensation. With that last breath, Anna looked up at Ren and spoke the words, "I'm sorry," though she could not hear them being said. He only grinned at her. His face was twisted in a cruel and malicious smile.
She couldn't even wonder why before darkness fell.
Ren waited until Anna's lifeless body had softly slumped over on its side before he approached. He roughly lifted her limp head by her hair and stared into her blank eyes. "But I did this all for you," Ren said sweetly yet completely sarcastic. "Don't you love me?" He gently kissed her and tasted blood on her lips. "The only reason I went through with such an absurd plan was for this moment." His laughter traveled through the inn before he let her fall again with a loud clunk.
With the deed done, he eagerly headed out back of the old inn to collect his just reward. He felt he deserved an award for his superb acting performance but thought what was waiting for him was more than enough.
When he slid open the last remaining door, he could see Asakura Yoh peacefully lying on the lush grass. The body was on its stomach and now without the bloody bathrobe. Ren absently thought how the now bandaged wound on the shoulder blade would probably leave a scar.
"You can get up already, you're being a real wimp about all this!" Ren said to the corpse with a mock harshness while poking it in the ribs with his foot.
This earned him a loud groan, to which he took as an invitation kneel down and straddle the very alive Yoh. When his eyes opened he finally spoke, "Did you have to stab me so hard? My shoulder really hurts . . ." It wasn't long before Ren leaned down and silenced the complaining, claiming his prize.
As the two madly kissed one another, with fists knotted in clothing and hair, Anna still laid on the kitchen floor . . . alone.
- End -
Notes: This was actually vaguely based on the ending to some movie I heard about from a friend. I've no idea what it was called or who was in... so hopefully they don't sue me.